Virac, Catanduanes – A father has been sentenced to four lifetimes in prison after being proven guilty of raping his own minor child.
In the courtroom of Hon. Genie G. Gapas-Agbada, the presiding judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 42, it was established that “Romeo,” not his real name, committed four counts of rape under the Revised Penal Code for allegedly exploiting his own child inside their home.
In the court’s decision on May 31, 2023, it stated that the victim’s testimony against her own father for rape was strongly supported by the law due to the Filipino culture of respect for elders. Furthermore, if the accusations were not true, the child would not have the courage to accuse her own parent.
In this case, the court noted that the minor positively identified her father as the one who raped her three times, and the child allegedly could not have falsely accused her father if the accusations were not true.
According to the victim’s statement, the court was convinced by her explicit and credible account. The court also observed the child’s demeanor during her testimony, where she reportedly cried and showed emotions, which the court believed to be a natural reaction of a victim.
Meanwhile, the father’s defense claimed that the accusations were fabricated to cover up the fact that the mother had a new partner. According to the suspect, the child only wanted to imprison him so that their mother could freely engage in a new relationship. The defense further argued that it was impossible for the father to commit the rape as they all slept together in one room with the mother and the victim’s siblings.
However, the court found that the suspect had no evidence of the wife’s infidelity, and his defenses were deemed self-serving. Therefore, he was proven guilty and sentenced to four counts of rape, with each case also requiring payment of damages amounting to P100,000.00, with 6% interest per year. (RMFRM)
